WASHINGTON, November 23. /TASS/. Washington continues efforts to secure the release of US citizens Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan from Russia, US President Joe Biden told reporters.

According to the White House press pool, when asked if he had any message for Gershkovich and Whelan, Biden said: "We ain’t giving up."

White House National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said at a briefing in late October that there was no progress in terms of the return of Gershkovich and Whelan to the US but Washington was actively working on that.

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained in the Russian Urals city of Yekaterinburg on espionage charges. According to the Federal Security Service (FSB), he acted at the behest of the United States, collecting information constituting a state secret about the activities of Russian defense companies. Criminal charges were filed against him under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code ("Espionage"). If found guilty, he may face up to 20 years in prison. However, Gershkovich pleaded not guilty.

Paul Whelan, who holds US, British, Canadian and Irish passports, was detained by the FSB at a Moscow hotel on December 28, 2018, while on a spy mission. A criminal case was opened against him under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code. The Moscow City Court eventually sentenced Whelan to 16 years in a high-security penal colony.